Aviation Human Factors Industry News
October 21, 2008
Vol. IV. Issue 41
Mechanics face manslaughter charge for Madrid air
crash
The judge investigating the Madrid air crash
that killed 154 people has called three
mechanics for questioning on suspicion of
manslaughter
The two technicians who checked the plane
and cleared it for take-off on August 20 and
Spanair's head of maintenance at Barajas
airport are facing charges of 154 counts of
negligent homicide for failing to detect
faults that led to the tragedy.
Judge Javier Perez has launched a judicial investigation, independent from that of
Spain's Civil Aviation authority to determine the causes of the crash.
Spanair flight JK5022 bound for the Canary Islands crashed on its second take-off
attempt after the wing flaps failed to deploy. An alarm system in the cockpit failed
to warn pilots of the fault and the twin jet engine rose about 40 feet before it
veered to the right and slammed into the ground tail first.
The back of the aircraft broke apart and the fuselage bounced three times before
crashing into a shallow ravine and bursting into flames. Only 18 people survived
Spain's worst air accident in 25 years.
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The preliminary report by Civil Aviation investigators absolved the pilots of any
blame for the accident after data from the black box recorder showed they had
followed the correct procedures.
Judge Perez is investigating whether the maintenance crew charged with
repairing an earlier fault that led to the first take off attempt to be aborted were
negligent in making the necessary repairs.
It appears that they may not have checked whether a problem detected in an air
temperature gauge on the outside of the aircraft was caused by a mechanical fault
that affected other parts of the plane. It has also emerged that the same aircraft
suffered problems with wing flap deployment on two occasions in the days
leading up the crash.
Medical Helicopter Crash: It Has Happened Again
Workers with the Dupage County
Coroner remove one of four bodies
from the wreckage of a helicopter
crash in Aurora, Il.,Thursday, Oct. 16,
2008. Four people,
including a 13-month-old girl, were
killed when a medical evacuation
helicopter crashed overnight in the
Chicago suburb.
In what appears to be becoming a tragic epidemic of helicopter crashes, another
medical helicopter has gone down in flames—this time in a Chicago suburb. Three
crewmembers and the patient were killed.
Deepening this tragedy, and that of other recent medical helicopter crashes, is the
fact that patients have already suffered great trauma, only to suffer more trauma,
or to lose their lives when the craft that is supposed to play a role in saving their
lives, instead contributes to, or causes their death.
The patient in the crash late last night, just before midnight, was only 13 months
old.
Last Wednesday's crash was the ninth in the last 12 months involving an
emergency air transport vehicle, and the third for Air Angels, and air ambulance
company based at Clow Airport in Bolingbrook. A crash in August of last year was
blamed on mechanical problems, but fortunately there were no injuries. The same,
however, could not be said for a crash in 2003 that killed the pilot. It has since
been determined that pilot error, and foul weather contributed to the crash.
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However last week’s helicopter crash remains a mystery. The CEO of Air Angels,
Jim Adams, reportedly told the Chicago Tribune in the wee hours this morning
that the pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the helicopter, and that
weather was not an issue.
However, a report in the Chicago Tribune suggests that the Bell 222 helicopter
struck a radio tower before it crashed last week. Rick Jakle, president of 1280 AM
WBIG in Chicago said early this morning that the helicopter apparently clipped
one of the radio tower's support wires. The tower extends 750 feet into the air, and
by law is required to be lit, with strobes, to alert aircraft to its location at night.
However, it is not known if there is any provision for illuminating the thick support
wires.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board
will be investigating the crash.
Besides the child who died in the helicopter crash the pilot, a nurse, and a
paramedic employed by the company all perished in the crash. There were no
reports of survivors.
Critics are calling for an investigating into the entire air ambulance system, after
nine fatal helicopter crashes in the last year. They cite a disturbing rise in the
number of emergency air transport crashes, and wonder aloud if a system
designed to save lives, may instead be taking them.
Jet fire under investigation - Update
David Kidder, Gregg County fire marshal, and
investigators from the Federal Aviation
Administration, Bombardier and Lear Jet are
investigating the cause and origin of a flash fire to
a Lear Jet 45 that occurred Wednesday at
Aerosmith Aviation at the East Texas Regional
Airport. A worker was burned and remains
hospitalized today.
According to initial findings, the cause of the flash
fire was a result of the right main landing gear
strut exploding during a precipitation test on the
jet.
According to Gregg County Sheriff 's Lt. Mike Claxton, the fire investigators said
the precipitation test is an electrical check performed on aircraft to measure the
ability of an aircraft to isolate itself from static electricity when flying through
moist air.
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Fire investigators told Claxton they believe that during the test, the right main
gear strut failed and resulted in damage to the wing and fuel tank. That resulted in
a leak of jet fuel that ignited a fire in the wheel well. The resulting fire and loss of
integrity to the gear strut caused the plane to settle to the floor surface.
The burned worker, employed by Dallas-based Bombardier, remains in a Dallas
burn hospital today, Claxton said. According to Kidder, the victim suffered burns
to 25 percent of his body and was reported in fair condition Thursday morning.
Update: Oxygen Bottle Ruptured Qantas 747
Failure of an oxygen bottle
caused the fuselage rupture of a
Qantas Boeing 747-400 on July
25, say Australian accident
investigators, confirmed early
suspicions.
The event appears to have been
unique in commercial aviation
history. More importantly, the
Australian Transport Safety
Bureau (ATSB) has no idea how it
can be prevented from happening again – particularly since the bottle fell into the
sea and therefore cannot be examined.
“There’s nothing at this stage that the ATSB can identify that could have been
done to prevent this,” said investigator Julian Walsh. “We don’t really know why
the bottle failed. That’s the key question for the investigation.”
Although the bottle blasted into the cabin, no one was hurt in the incident, which
occurred at 29,000 ft. The flight crew reacted within 20 seconds of the
depressurization warning by reducing thrust on all engines and extending the
speed brakes for a descent to 10,000 ft. They called ‘mayday’ on the regional air
traffic control frequency, dumped excess fuel and approached and landed visually
at Manila without further incident.
“The flight crew reported that many system failure messages were displayed,
including all three instrument landing system, the left VHF omni-directional radio-
range navigation instrument, the left flight management computer and the aircraft
anti-skid braking system,” the bureau said in its preliminary report.
Early accounts seemed to suggest that the main part of the bottle, number four in
a row of seven in the cargo bay just ahead of the right wing root, had blasted
down and out of the fuselage while the valve at the tip had shout up into the cabin.
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The bureau’s preliminary report now make clear that discharge from the lower part
of the bottle blew open the fuselage and propelled the main part of the bottle
upward. The bottle burst through the main cabin deck, making a hole 20 cm. (8 in.)
in diameter, then hit a door frame, a door handle and the overhead paneling before
falling back out of the aircraft, leaving parts of the valve behind.
The first officer’s aileron cables were severed in the accident, but the captain’s
cables on the other side of the aircraft were not. “Numerous electrical cables and
cable bundles, routed through the lower aircraft fuselage near the point of rupture,
had sustained damage or been severed by the rupture event,” the bureau added.
Hong Kong disputes report blaming fatigue for Cathay
ground collision
Flight standards authorities in Hong Kong
are disputing Swedish investigators'
findings that fatigue contributed to a
Cathay Pacific Boeing 747's sustaining
heavy damage after taxiing into its tow-
tractor at Stockholm last year.
The jet had been pushed back from
Stockholm Arlanda stand R9 for a service
to Dubai but, shortly after the tow-tractor
was disconnected from the nose-gear, the
pilots started to taxi the aircraft before a ground technician had given an
unambiguous all-clear signal.
It struck the tractor with its inboard left-hand Rolls-Royce RB211 engine. The rear
of the vehicle penetrated the nacelle by 20-30cm (8-12in), heavily damaging the
cowling, pumps, fuel lines and control units, and the engine began leaking fuel.
Swedish investigation commission SHK found both pilots had been awake for 18-
20h and that the time of the collision, 03:33 on 25 June 2007, fell within the low-
activity period of the body's circadian cycle. It
has concluded that both pilots "were affected
by fatigue".
But the Hong Kong Civil Aviation
Department's flight standards division says:
"It is noted that the crew had been rostered to
have adequate rest and there was no evidence
in the report that the crew suffered from
fatigue."
Although the Schopf 356 tractor had been moved a short distance, it remained out
of the pilots' field of vision. SHK says that, while the pilots read the normal
checklist after engine start, it "did not contain any point" concerning a "clear
signal" - a thumb-up gesture showing an aircraft is clear to taxi.
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Only a supplemental note in the carrier's expanded checklist informed pilots that
the ground dispatcher would "clearly display" to them the steering pin removed
from the nose-gear.
While SHK attributes the collision to "inadequate" checklists regarding
confirmation of an all-clear signal, the Hong Kong authority says it has "difficulty
in agreeing" with this conclusion, pointing out that the tractor driver and ground
dispatcher had not previously performed pushback for a 747.
"We are of the view that the cause or causes should be established with due
consideration of all factors and supported by the facts established in the
findings," it adds.
The Arlanda tow-tractor driver, who was preparing to move the vehicle clear when
he heard the 747's engines powering up, hastily abandoned it and that none of the
ground personnel was injured. The accident badly damaged the tractor.
In its report into the event SHK adds that - despite the fuel leak, close to hot
exhaust and electrical wiring - emergency services were not summoned for nearly
an hour.
Incorrect flight data led Qantas A330 to descend
sharply: ATSB
A Qantas Airways Airbus A330 that
descended suddenly appears to have
received faulty data from one of its units and
this then played havoc with the aircraft's
flight control system.
"At this stage of the investigation, the
analysis of the available data indicates that
the air data inertial reference unit (ADIRU) 1 abnormal behavior is the likely origin
of the event," the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says in a statement
today, referring to an incident that occurred on 7 October while the Qantas A330
was enroute from Singapore to Perth.
"The faulty ADIRU unit continued to feed erroneous and spike values, for various
aircraft parameters, to the aircraft's flight control primary computers."
This "led to several consequences including: false stall and over-speed warnings,
loss of altitude information on the captain's primary flight display and several
centralized aircraft monitoring system warnings."
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Because the ADIRU 1 generated very high, random and incorrect angles of attack
it meant that "the flight control computers commanded a nose-down aircraft
movement, which resulted in the aircraft pitching down to a maximum of 8.5
degrees."
It also "triggered a flight control primary computer pitch fault".
The ATSB says the crew responded in a timely fashion and helped prevent the
aircraft's rapid descent from being even greater.
In its preliminary review released on 9 October the ATSB says the A330
descended about 650ft in about 20s, before returning to
the cruising level of 37,000ft.
Then about 70s later the A330 descended about 400ft in
about 16s before returning to the cruising level. In both
instances the aircraft was pitched nose-down.
Of the 303 passengers and 10 crew on board 14 people
were seriously injured, an additional group of up to 30
had serious enough injuries to receive medical treatment
in hospital and up to a further 30 required first aid
treatment, says the ATSB.
The Qantas pilots responded by making an emergency landing at Learmonth, a
remote airport in northwest Western Australia and from there the passengers were
put on other aircraft and flown to Perth.
In today's statement the ATSB says Airbus a few moments ago issued an
operators information telex providing information about the incident along with
recommendations to A330 and Airbus A340 operators that have aircraft fitted with
the same type of ADIRU as on the Qantas aircraft.
The recommendations include "guidance and checklists for crew response in the
event of an inertial reference system failure".
ATSB says it will issue a preliminary factual report within 30 days of the incident.
ADIRUs provide data with regards to the aircraft's air speed, altitude, position and
altitude.
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Maintenance Mishap Summary
Knowing that all maintenance is performed by the book,
and only by the book, I shouldn't have anything to write
about as far as "maintenance mishaps" or "malpractice",
right? Well, I was wrong. Here are a few examples of our
sailors that were following the publications but are no
longer able to use their hands due to a moment of
inattention by themselves or the help of shipmates.
An Airman working on an H-60 had his hand in between the
hydraulic bay door and the airframe while another
maintainer had shoved the bay door closed, puncturing the
airman's hand.
Another sailor in the H-60 community severed their left
index finger while folding the tail pylon.
These two incidents remind me of the time when I worked on H-60's. I was the
"experienced" supervisor called out to assist one of my troopers who was having
trouble lining up the main landing gear drag brace to the airframe. As I placed my
finger inside the landing gear strut bushing to determine which way we need to
"manipulate" the drag brace, and line up the bushings, my hard charging
maintainer kicked the tire thinking that the strut would only move a fraction of an
inch. Well, it didn't. I thought my finger was inside a cigar cutter. Fortunately, the
motion didn't shear my finger off. I was lucky to see that I still had all five digits on
my left hand when I finally got my finger out of the hole.
The bottom line is that we are human, working with machines that have much
thicker skin than we do. This is not just for the H-60 folks, all platforms have their
hazards. Brief ORM with your team prior to performing tasks, your comrades are
sometimes the cause of injury. Most importantly, always use caution when putting
your hands where they don't normally belong. These machines do bite hard.
2008 Fall Safety Campaign Video
The Army's Combat Readiness Center, and the Navy and Air Force
Safety Centers have teamed up to produce a fall safety campaign
video. Take a look at it, and see the tools and resources available to
help you get through the fall and holiday season safely.
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We spend a lot of time during the summer on the Critical Days of Summer
campaign, and in this joint effort, we hope to provide useful information to
members of each service.
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/Temp/fall_campaign/fall_campaign.wmv
AOPA ASF Launches Free Online Safety Course
AOPA Air Safety Foundation Friday announced the launch of a
free online course called "Do The Right Thing" designed "to
help pilots improve their decision-making skills" and reduce
accidents by preventing the formation of poor decision
strings. Based on its seminar titled "Do The Right
Thing: Decision Making for Pilots," the online course
presents pilots with five scenarios and a succession
of decisions, each of which alters the outcome of the
adventure. At the end, pilots "experience the consequences"
of their decisions graphically through "innovative use of Microsoft Flight
Simulator X." Decision trees built into the scenarios allow pilots to clearly see the
virtual results of their decisions and how a break in the chain can successfully
avert an accident that could otherwise be set in motion.
The course takes about an hour to complete, but may be stopped at any point
(your progress is saved) and completed at your convenience. Completion of the
course, which also involves a separate ten-question quiz, makes you eligible for
credit in the FAA Wings proficiency program and potential insurance benefits for
pilots who carry insurance through AOPA.
Grand Opening Of Tuskegee Airmen National Historic
Site
Last Friday, Oct. 10, 2008, marked the grand opening and
recognition of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Ala., now officially a national
landmark. The site serves as testament to the all-black
99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group of World
War II whose combat performance and civilian struggles
have earned them legendary status.
The weekend's ceremonies were free and open to the public and saw the
attendance of thousands, including a few of the surviving airmen.
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The event recognized the first phase of the site's overall development -- phase two
is due next April when the full site, including an iMax theater in a restored second
hangar, is scheduled to open to the public.
The progress is the result of legislation passed by Congress in 1998 and signed
by the president, appropriating $29.1 million for phase one development. From
1941 through 1946, more than 990 pilots graduated from the flight training
program at Tuskegee, with 450 going on to serve their country overseas.
The men were the nation's first black military pilots and flew more than 700
bomber escort missions and, according to the Tuskegee Airman Web site never
lost a bomber to enemy fighters.
You're Safer On An Airplane
In an average year, approximately 98,000
Americans die from infections they acquire in
hospitals, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. Many and perhaps most
of these deaths could be avoided if well-
understood sanitary methods, such as proper
sterilization of equipment and hand-washing,
were followed.
In addition to the toll from infections, medical
mistakes kill 44,000-98,000 each year, states a
report from the Institute of Medicine.
We don't know how these death rates measure up on a per capita basis against
the health care systems of comparably developed nations. We do know that if we
were sitting in the US Congress or the White House, and we were looking at
picking the low-hanging fruit in eliminating mistakes and carelessness as a cause
of human misery, suffering and death, we would probably want to do all we could
to encourage hospitals to adopt things like mandatory standardized pre-operation
checklists, incident-reporting systems and data-driven analysis to understand
why mistakes occur and how to prevent them.
The air transport industry has been doing this kind of thing for years. That's
probably one reason that air travel remains far safer than, say, a trip to the
hospital for a routine procedure. Of course you wouldn't know this from watching
Congress, which fixates on exceedingly rare breakdowns in aviation but appears
not to have the faintest interest in what's happening in the operating room.
Consider what occurred last spring after Southwest Airlines--a carrier with an
exemplary safety record--was found to have operated 46 737s in violation of an
FAA airworthiness directive. Not only were the chairman and CEO hauled in to
testify before the cameras, but FAA was browbeaten as well.
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Under political pressure, FAA's boss, the Dept. of Transportation, created an
Independent Review Team to assess the agency's approach to safety regulation.
Perhaps reading the Washington tea leaves, FAA already had opened its own
special industry wide investigation into airline compliance with airworthiness
directives.
Now the verdict is in: US airlines, despite losing billions of dollars this year, are
98% compliant with ADs. And DOT's panel of outside experts essentially validated
the collaboration model that has led to a dramatic reduction in US airline
accidents, while calling for a more arms' length relationship between airlines and
inspectors
No one--outside of Congress--should be surprised at the findings. Consider that
as of this writing, more people in Manhattan have died from cranes crashing into
their apartments within the past 12 months than in US commercial airline
accidents. More people have died from eating tainted hot peppers or injecting
contaminated Heparin, from tigers breaking out of the zoo and mauling
bystanders, than have died in airline accidents. Throw in crocodile attacks and
jellyfish stings and the same statement can be made for Australia, another nation
that recently has become fixated on the issue of aviation safety following the
Qantas decompression event and a string of lesser incidents.
We don't know how much longer commercial aviation can continue to improve its
safety record. There are well-known problem areas--Africa, South America and
Russia/CIS--that ICAO and IATA are working hard to rectify. Disaster can strike
anytime, as happened in Spain in August and Russia in September, and it is fully
possible that before this editorial appears the industry will confront a new
tragedy.
Nevertheless, we are fairly comfortable in predicting that grandstanding by
politicians in Washington or Canberra (or Brussels) will do little to prevent one.
The real safety work is being done in OEM technical labs, in flight simulators and
classrooms, in data centers where incidents are recorded for study and in the
numerous safety colloquiums and conferences that bring together manufacturers,
airlines, airports, ATC, and safety regulators.
If politicians around the world truly wanted to help make aviation safer, they could
unlock the purse strings and make some much-needed investment in critical
infrastructure. But Congress can't even be bothered to pass a new FAA budget
and European air traffic modernization is woefully underfunded.
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Infection Control
Health & Safety Best Practices
Are your workers still dubious about the need to wash
their hands after touching everyday objects? Show them
this video of a day in the life of a commonly handled item.
Type this link into your computer:
http://www.safetyxchange.org/flvideo/money.asf
Sound – It Can Make You Tired or Alert
Sound can invigorate you or send you to
sleep. Don’t believe me? Then just close
your eyes for a few seconds and imagine
that sounds of a rolling surf on the beach,
or the smooth rushing of a mountain
stream or the steady pitter-patter of rain
storm and you’ll probably be lulled to sleep
in no time. In fact, these sounds are so effective that they are now electronically
simulated in ‘white noise’ machines that many people use in their bedrooms.
Unfortunately, the same electronic ‘white noise’ is produced in less desirable
places such as industrial control rooms, production areas, and even our cars and
trucks, by the equipment that people are meant to watch alertly thought the night.
‘White noise,’ the sound culprit in making us tired, is characterized by a constant
frequency and amplitude (volume).
Just think of the dull, monotonous drone of computer equipment, or the cooling
fans on the monitors of a control room, and you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Unfortunately, these ‘white noise’ sounds can be problematic when working a
night shift.
The good news is that there also sounds that promote alertness. For example,
irregular or variable sounds, such as a radio a conversation, or a honking horn,
stimulate alertness. In fact, research has shown that improvements can be made
to alertness by increasing the amount of audio activity in a room. However, if the
sound’s amplitude is too high or frequency too fast, it can be annoying and/or
distracting and reduce performance.
Music, it turns out, typically falls within the variable frequency and amplitude
fluctuation range known as ‘pink noise.’ This sound range is stimulating to the
brain, thereby reducing errors and improving response time.
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Music with a beat, talk- radio programs, social conversations are particularly
helpful in maintaining alertness during monotonous tasks such as driving or
monitoring computers.
In general, it’s a good idea to make sound work for you. For example, at work you
should be aware of the sounds that are present in your workplace when working
the night shift. Would you perceive them as being sounds that promote alertness
or fatigue? If your workplace is dominated by ‘white noise’ it might be good to see
if you can take step to introduce alertness promoting sounds to the environment.
For example, some workplaces allow music, if there’s a kill switch.
On the other hand, when you’re home and trying to sleep, you should think about
using ‘white noise’ to drone out distracting noises and help you fall asleep. A fan
is great tool for helping you sleep during the day.
Book: If I Only Knew Then
Everyone can look back on their life
and describe a significant mistake
they've made and the lesson they
learned from it. But how many of you
would be willing to write it down and
have the world read about it?
Charles Grodin found over eighty
people to contribute to his collection of
essays in If I Only Knew Then..., and
the net profits from book sales go to
HELP USA, a not-for-profit
organization. HELP USA's mission is to
empower the homeless and others in
need to become self-reliant, an
excellent cause in this reader's book.
Many of the contributors are celebrities
such as Alan Alda, Carol Burnett and
Ben Stiller. Others are accomplished
and well-known people in the industries of politics, business and Hollywood.
Paul Newman, Rosie O'Donnell, Robert Redford-the list goes on and on. Deeper
than just `celebrity gossip,' these vignettes provide an inside look at what actors,
artists, television personalities and others have learned from life-they share not
only their wisdom, but the difficult ways they acquired it.
Charles Grodin has compiled the life lessons of many of his friends so that the
rest of us can learn from their experiences. Meanwhile, Grodin is donating 100
percent of his book royalties to an organization that serves the homeless.
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Obviously, he's not in this for the money. Instead, he is genuinely trying to pass
along collective wisdom.
Pick up this highly readable new book and start reading anywhere: you won't put
it down!
Armchair Interviews says: Charles Grodin is a comedian, actor and former talk
show host.
How do you unlock the door?
This picture shows the locks on our front door. To unlock the
dead bolt lock (above), you turn the key to the right. To unlock
the door knob lock (below), you turn the key to the left! That's
pretty confusing! I checked a few other doors, and this seems
to be the way they work too. I would hope they don't all work
like this!
Design suggestion
Controls that have the same function should be operated in
the same way. For example, both locks should be unlocked by
turning the key in the same direction. This is an example of
what is meant in human factors by "consistency" in design.
Food That Could Keep You Awake
Last week, we looked at different types of food that can
cause sleepiness. On the flipside, there are plenty of
foods and beverages that can keep you up at night,
intentionally or not. The most widely known "pick me up"
is caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that works by blocking
the action of hormones in the brain that makes us feel
sleepy. A strong dose of caffeine can stimulate the mind
for a short time but also can cause an alertness crash as
the effect wears off. The best way to benefit from the
stimulating effect of caffeine is to consume small amounts frequently throughout
the day. Certain foods can be associated with reflux events, which can cause
coughing or choking while sleeping or attempting to sleep. These foods include
citrus fruits, chocolate, fatty and fried foods, garlic and onions, mint flavorings,
spicy foods, or tomato-based foods, such as spaghetti sauce, chili and pizza.
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So stay away from that five-alarm chili, and remember not to eat or drink too much
close to bedtime.
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/site/c.huIXKjM0IxF/b.2453615/apps/nl/content3.as
p?content_id=%7B32BB1322-7AE9-425A-B9D9-5B43BF2FF9C9%7D¬oc=1
LED Battery Handle Probes – LED Handle + 1 Probe
The new Portable LED Fiberoptic probe is
designed to illuminate hard-to-reach areas
for visual inspection. The extension probes
slip on and securely snap into place over the
light source tip on the illuminator handle for
a complete portable inspection system. The
extensions come in three different angles, 0
degrees (straight), 90 degrees, and 45
degrees, each in diameters of 0.120-in.,
0.058-in., and 0.030-in. to reach and
illuminate areas with otherwise limited
access. Powered by three AAA batteries
(supplied with the unit) the new probe
features a 1.25-Watt LED illuminator with a
focusing lens to provide the same light
output as a 3-Watt LED with less heat generated.
Since the LED is designed to last for more than 10,000
hours, there is no need for expensive bulb replacement.
Constructed of stainless steel, the illuminator handle of
the portable unit has an easy push-button on/off switch.
Type this link into your computer.
http://www.titantoolsupply.com/catalog.asp?prodid=568624
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GO FIGURE
What does this number represent?
42,642
It’s the number of people who were killed in police-
reported traffic crashes in the United States in 2006.
Here are some other traffic safety statistics from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
5,973,000 traffic crashes were reported to police in
2006
2,575,000 people were injured in police-reported
traffic crashes in 2006
$230.6 billion was the economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in 2000.
5 Safe Driving Practices
Don’t Just Change Your Tires; Change Your Attitude
When it comes to workplace safety, just
getting there can be half the battle. And
with the arrival of fall, longer hours of
darkness and wet roads can add to the
hazards of commuting. But the one
constant in our commute throughout the
year is our attitudes. Often, it’s what we
think as much as what we do that gets us
into traffic accidents. So while it’s always
a good idea to assess the conditions of
your vehicle and route, it’s also wise to
assess and be prepared to change your
attitudes toward driving.
Signs You Need a Driving Attitude Adjustment
These are some examples of the kind of thoughts that lead to traffic accidents.
How many of them have crossed your mind recently?
• I can’t afford new tires right now. I’ll just have to stick with my old ones for
another season.
• Never mind the weather. If the speed limit says 60, I’m going 60.
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• If he doesn’t get off my tail, I’m going to hit the brakes and teach him a
lesson!
• The only way I’m going to get across this intersection is to make my left
turn after the light turns red.
• Nothing is more important than getting to this meeting on time. I’ll just text
the client to let him know I’ll be there soon.
• If I “boot it,” I can make this yellow light.
• I’ve been driving for 20 years and haven’t had an accident yet.
• Those pedestrians will just have to fend for themselves. After all, who’s
going to lose in a collision, me or them?
• I can’t see behind me, but if I back up really slowly, the other traffic will
have time to stop.
Signs of a Good Driving Attitude
The more of the above thoughts you think, the better the likelihood that you’re
going to end up in an accident. On the other hand, positive attitudes can keep you
out of trouble. Do any of these thoughts sound familiar?
• Google map says it’ll take 45 minutes to make the drive. But I don’t know
the route, so I’d better give myself some extra time.
• I’ll just do a quick circle check of my vehicle before I start out.
• Seat belt on? Yup.
• Cell phone off? Yup.
• The speed limit says 60, but it’s starting to rain, so I’ll go a little slower
because the roads will be slick.
• That car behind me is driving way too fast for these conditions. I’ll get out
of his way and give him some extra space.
• Traffic’s heavy today. Better make sure I prepare and signal for my exit and
lane changes well in advance.
• It’s safer for me to nose out of this parking space. I’ll back into the space
so my car’s facing out.
Conclusion
Most vehicle accidents are the result not of the machine but the person operating
it. Be aware of your attitudes and give your undivided attention to your safe
driving. And consider upgrading your driving skills. You don’t have to be a poor
driver to strive to become a better one.
October – National Fire Safety Month
In recognition of National Fire Safety Month in October,
here is a reminder of several handy fire prevention tips
to review with everyone at your operation.
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1. Know the three elements that start a fire
Fuel, oxygen and heat are the essential ingredients. Take one out of the
equation and blaze.
2. Types of fires, which classified according to fuel
Class A: ordinary solid combustibles such as wood, paper and cloth
Class B: liquids, gases ( kerosene, propane, grease)
Class C: electrical fires
Class D: combustible metals (magnesium, sodium, titanium)
Only Class A fires can be put out with water. DO NOT use water on Class B, C or D
fires.
3. Know how to use a fire extinguisher:
PASS
. Pull and twist the pin
. Aim the hose a the base of the fire
. Squeeze the trigger
. Sweep back and forth
4. R.A.C.E to safety
Dealing safely with a fire involves Rescue, sounding the Alarm, Confining
the fire and Evacuating individuals.
Cooking Oil Can be Dangerous
These days many people are avoiding fats and oils for a variety of health reasons.
At the same time, deep-fryers are still a popular kitchen accessory in workplaces
and homes. And that's where the other danger of using oil for cooking shows up.
Fire officials in Beverly, MA, say they responded to three cooking oil fires in one
week. The department is trying to inform the public of the dangers of, and correct
way to battle, cooking oil fires.
Cooking oil can turn treats to tragedy
Cooking in oil can be bad for your health, and not
just for the reasons nutritionists talk about.
According to the Beverly Fire Department,
firefighters in the last week responded to three
separate incidents of kitchen fires sparked by
overheated cooking oil.
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The alarming trend reflects national reports that zero in on the kitchen as the most
frequent source of the average house fire.
The first incident occurred at 10:45 p.m. on Sept. 15, when a resident at 22 Home
St. accidentally overheated a pan of cooking oil, igniting a fire that quickly spread
to the bottom side of the range hood and damaged some cabinets, according to a
press release from Capt. Peter O'Connor.
The second incident occurred Sept. 21, when another pot of oil was allowed to
overheat and ignite on the stove. Fortunately for the resident, a neighbor heard
her screams and was able to put out the fire with a portable fire extinguisher. The
third incident occurred at the Callahan Center of Endicott College, when a burner
was accidentally raised to a high heat with a pot of oil on it. The temperature of
the oil was raised to its ignition temperature and flames erupted from the pot,
O'Connor reported.
"A quick-thinking worker placed another pan over the pot in an effort to smother
the flames, but the fire continued until a worker discharged a fire extinguisher,
knocking down the fire," O'Connor said. He added that this was the first such
incident in recent history at the Callahan Center, where there is a very good
record of safe practices and droves of students flock to eat every day. The press
release did not specify what day the Callahan Center fire occurred. The Fire
Department pointed out that the above incidents show that cooking oils, though
an invaluable tool in the kitchen, can be quite hazardous. With easily attainable
ignition temperatures, the oils can quickly ignite when left unchecked on the
stove. The fast-moving fires can quickly spread beyond the pot, causing
significant damage if not extinguished immediately.
The best defense is diligence," Deputy Chief William Walsh said. "Never leave any
food on the stove unattended."
If you do have a cooking-oil fire, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and turn off
the heat. Doing so deprives the fire of needed oxygen and also removes the heat,
lowering the oil below its ignition temperature.
A fire extinguisher is also an important tool as long as you know how to use it.
Fire extinguishers vary in types and sizes, and some are meant for use on very
specific materials. Before you try to use a fire extinguisher, call 911 then ensure
that it is rated for the type of fire you are trying to put out.
Improper application of a fire extinguisher can result in making the fire worse and
possible personal injury.
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Most extinguishers designed for kitchens are designed to be discharged from up
to 10 feet away from the fire. This distance keeps the user away from the fire and
prevents the extinguishing agent from blasting the flaming oil out of the pan and
all over the surroundings. Whenever there is any doubt about the capabilities of
extinguishing a fire, the best course of action is to get out and call 911.
Picture This!
I’m not an inventor of ladders, but I know one thing: If I were, I wouldn’t put
wheels on them.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve seen those big rolling stair-step contraptions they have
at building-supply places. They have a pair of locking wheels on one side that
lock, but those are different.
Pictured this week is not a ladder. It is a “Whoops!” waiting to happen.
Wonder which aisle the splints and bandages are on?
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